Woman will not succeed me in 2023—Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has given the strongest indication that no matter the high octane advocacy for a woman to occupy the country’s number one position, Nigeria is neither ripe nor is he ready to hand over the reign of power to a woman in 2023.

He disclosed this at a dinner with members of the legal team for the 2019 presidential election petition on Thursday night in Abuja. He said, ‘‘Morally I want to have a clear conscience. I swore by the Holy Book that I will abide by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. ‘‘I will continue to do my best and I hope that by 2023, I can handover quietly and I wish him the best of luck,’’ he said.

The word “him” according to public affairs analysts, is the strongest indicator of Buhari’s thinking of whether a male or female would succeed him in 2023. To them, it is obvious that what Buhari has in mind is a male successor.

Similarly, the president sued for a free and fair election saying he is he is a beneficiary of a free and fair election in the country and would bequeath same to his successor. He added that he is morally bound to handover quietly in 2023 when he must have completed his second tenure.